A high-ranking Border Patrol official is sounding the alarm about the number of ‘gotaways’ in the month of October.
This week, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens posted on “X” that “over 18,000 gotaways” have been known to have escaped detection from law enforcement “in the first 16 days of Fiscal Year 2024.”
Over 18K known gotaways in the first 16 days of FY24. These are individuals whose identities & purpose we do not know. That is why you need every Border Patrol agent to be in the field and on patrol. pic.twitter.com/uQlRgR76HQ
Chief Owens added that “these are individuals whose identities and purpose we do not know.”
The 2024 fiscal year just began this month of October. Ali Bradley, a National Correspondent for NewsNation, reported that there were “roughly 670,000 ‘gotaways’ for Fiscal Year 2023.”
👀 CBP reports more than 18K “known gotaways” in the first 16 days of FY24.
The Tucson sector is seeing record encounter numbers— Agents aren’t able to patrol the border and go after people like this because they’re too busy… pic.twitter.com/rS3aRiukUR
During President Joe Biden’s three-year (and counting) tenure in the White House, there have been more than 1.7 million estimated ‘gotaways’ at the border, compared to just over 415,000 ‘gotaways’ for former President Donald J. Trump’s four years in office. Border officials and experts have varied theories and opinions on how to estimate groups of ‘gotaways’ – especially since some are known to cover their tracks, which are key to Border Patrol’s approximations in the field. The actual number of ‘gotaways’ could be much higher than the reports.
‘Gotaways’ could pose a serious danger to the homeland of America because, as Chief Owens stated, their identities and purpose for migrating to the United States are unknown. However, these ‘gotaways’ aren’t the only concern for border officials and local law enforcement.
With the rising tensions and violence in the Middle East this month, more attention has been given to the apprehensions of aliens crossing America’s border illegally from ‘special interest countries,’ which, according to a definition from the Department of Homeland Security, is “a non-U.S. person, who, based on an analysis of travel patterns, potentially poses a national security risk to the United States or its interests.” Bradley also reported this week that there were more than 76,000 migrants from ‘special interest countries’ arriving in the United States during the just-completed fiscal year.
NEW: 27 migrants from Syria were apprehended in the Tucson sector last week—Compared to 21 in the same sector for the entire month of September.
Sources confirm more than 76k migrants from special interest countries entered the U.S. in FY23 which just ended last month.
Apprehensions of suspected terrorists have also created major fears for law enforcement and elected officials alike, who have seen those numbers drastically increase over the past few years. In the first eleven months of Fiscal Year 2023, officials encountered 151 individuals between ports of entry, who were flagged on the Terrorist Screening Dataset, compared to 98 in FY 2022 and 15 in FY 2021.
The counts of ‘gotaways’ and apprehensions of suspected terrorists and migrants from ‘special interest countries’ aside, the situation at the border has continued to spiral out of control on all fronts. Official numbers from the month of September have not been released as of Friday afternoon, but earlier this month, Fox News reported over 260,000 apprehensions for that month. If those numbers are accurate, which they usually are, that would put the number of apprehensions at the Southwest border for FY 2023 at just under 2,500,000 – an increase over FY 2022, which was a significant jump from FY 2021.
In Chief Owens’ communication about the number of ‘gotaways,’ he also writes, “That is why you need every Border Patrol agent to be in the field and on patrol” – something that the beleaguered and overwhelmed agency hasn’t been able to institute for the better part of the past decade with the exponential rise of illegal immigration across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Border Patrol agents are facing increasing dangers as a result of empowered cartels and smugglers.
Last week, the Vice President of the National Border Patrol Council, Art Del Cueto, posted a picture of online messages that contained threats and concerning solicitations about personal information for agents and members of their families.
Del Cueto said, “Unbelievable! #heroesingreen have to get this information through media because the administration and agency doesn’t put anything out to the #bootsontheground…”
The longtime border official added a number of hashtags to stress his point, including “#wherestheintel,” “#nocommunication,” “#theyreallydontcare,” “#excusescoming,” “#stayvigilant,” “#staystrapped.”
The messages shared by Del Cueto include the following:
“We will pay for any addresses of border patrol agents!!”
“$200 your way if you get me a border patrol agent’s address”
“$1k if you get me they mommas address”
“We offer $$$ for information on BP agents”
“Top dollar on good info”
“I’ll post us torturing any bp agent u send”
Ali Bradley, a National Correspondent for NewsNation, shared additional insight from conversations with Border Patrol agents, stating that “the agency says the messages also show the intent to post the torture of BPAs on social media.”
NEW: “We will pay for any addresses of border patrol agents!!”@CBP sends out internal alert to agents after intercepting messages seeking the home addresses of agents and their families with an intent to do harm— The text message obtained by CBP states, “$200 your way if you… pic.twitter.com/98PA8pYdWv
She added, “Agents I talk to are extremely concerned for their safety. While assaults on agents are down from last year, assaults involving firearms are up slightly.”
Last month, a Border Patrol agent in Texas was assaulted by a suspected smuggler, according to reports. Per pictures provided to the media at the time, the agent appeared to have blood on his face and uniform. In its account of the incident, Fox News wrote, “Migrants and smugglers are increasingly assaulting and confronting U.S. border personnel as the dangerous escalations of violence increase along the border.”
In addition to the increasing dangers and threats against them, Border Patrol agents are finding themselves completely overwhelmed due to the onslaught of migrants and drugs pouring across the U.S.-Mexico boundary lines, which has been caused by the policies of the Biden administration. Over the course of the three-year Biden-Harris administration, apprehensions of illegal aliens and drugs have continued to rise to historic levels, with no end seemingly in sight. This issue has led to growing fears of potential terror in the homeland – especially after the Hamas attack in Israel a couple weeks ago and the escalating number of terrorist suspects who have been encountered at the border (in addition to the sheer number of ‘gotaways’ escaping detection from law enforcement).
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Thousands of migrants from potentially troublesome countries are being apprehended at America’s southern border, while many others could be slipping past law enforcement.
On Tuesday, Fox News journalist Bill Melugin reported that “Internal CBP data provided & confirmed by CBP sources reveals thousands of ‘special interest aliens’ from mostly Middle Eastern countries have been apprehended by Border Patrol while crossing into U.S. illegally over last 2 years.”
NEW: Internal CBP data provided & confirmed by CBP sources reveals thousands of “special interest aliens” from mostly Middle Eastern countries have been apprehended by Border Patrol while crossing into U.S. illegally over last 2 years.
Melugin clarified that “a special interest alien is a term used by the U.S. government to refer to people coming from countries that have conditions that favor or harbor terrorism, or pose a potential national security to the U.S.”
From 10/1/2021 to 10/4/2023, the following apprehensions by nation of origin were reported:
Syria: 538
Yemen: 139
Iran: 659
Iraq: 123
Afghanistan: 6,386
Lebanon: 164
Egypt: 3,153
Pakistan: 1,613
Mauritania: 15,594
Uzbekistan: 13,624
Turkey: 30,830
The decorated reporter added some concerning context for his report, writing, “Border Patrol sources tell me they have extreme concerns about who is coming into the country because they have little to no way of vetting people from these special interest countries. I’m told unless they have committed a crime previously in the US, or they are on some sort of federal watchlist, there’s no way to know who they are because most of their home countries don’t share data/records with the US so there is nothing to match a name to when BP agents run fingerprints.”
The number of apprehensions from ‘special interest countries’ follows continuing reports of an increase in the number of suspected terrorists who have been encountered this fiscal year, along with the ‘gotaways’ who have escaped detection from law enforcement. Over 150 suspected terrorists have already been nabbed over the past eleven months, which was a stark rise from the previous year (when 98 suspected terrorists were arrested at the southern border). According to CBP data, only 26 total suspected terrorists were apprehended at the southern border from Fiscal Years 17-21.
If the issues of “special interest nations” and “suspected terrorists” apprehensions weren’t bad enough for the country, the number of ‘gotaways’ present a far-greater problem for the United States. More than 1.5 million of these individuals are estimated to have escaped capture by border officials, meaning that they likely are anywhere within the American homeland. Adding to fears from law enforcement, the identities and motives of these aliens are almost entirely unknown.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen addressed this danger in his statement about the horrific terrorist attack in Israel over the weekend. Petersen said, “Our own country must remain vigilant, as our wide open border, ignored by Joe Biden and Democrats, remains one of the greatest threats to our national security. This same situation can happen at anytime on our own soil, and we call on the federal government to take immediate action.”
Arizona Senate Republicans condemn the horrific violence happening against civilians and Americans in Israel. – @votewarren ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/tyPJQsXgkb
Amid an already historic crisis at America’s southern border, the Border Patrol Union is sounding major alarms about the consequences being foisted upon Arizona communities.
On September 14, the Border Patrol Union “X” account shared insights on the catch and release of thousands of illegal aliens in southern Arizona, writing, “DHS personnel in Arizona are now using the term ‘freedom runs’ when instructing BP agents about mass releases of illegal aliens in Tucson. There is almost no manpower left for enforcement duties as agents’ calls for assistance go unanswered and the vast majority are tied up with huge numbers of surrendering border crashers. Agents have been instructed to prioritize the processing of surrendering illegal aliens instead of patrolling the border.”
DHS personnel in Arizona are now using the term "freedom runs" when instructing BP agents about mass releases of illegal aliens in Tucson.
There is almost no manpower left for enforcement duties as agents' calls for assistance go unanswered and the vast majority are tied up with…
The account added, “And while all this sanctioned lawlessness ties up resources, the murderous cartel thugs continue to run hugely successful border operations while making billions of dollars smuggling missions of illegal aliens, tons of fentanyl and whatever else they want to send here, courtesy of Joe Biden. The Biden Admin will not be satisfied until every last spark of BP agent morale is extinguished.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released official numbers of southern border apprehensions for August late Friday, showing that over 230,000 migrants had been encountered by agents in the field, putting the total number for the Fiscal Year at more than 2,200,000.
A reporter for Fox News confirmed that the “total migrant encounters for FYTD23 have surpassed FY22 total setting a new record” – with one month remaining in the fiscal year.
* RECORD-BREAKING* CBP sources confirm to FOX News total migrant encounters for FYTD23 have surpassed FY22 total setting a new record.
2,388,350FYTD23 so far vs 2,378,944FY22 total.
Fiscal years run Oct to Oct so there is a week left w 9000+ a day averaging @FoxNews
Arizona State Representative Quang Nguyen has also taken to his “X” account to share reports of chaos and lawlessness from the southern border. Earlier this week, he relayed a memo from someone at the border, which read, “It’s out of control down here! the Border Patrol agents were told to cease all law enforcement operations, no arrests allowed! they are all processing and transporting aliens now. They are dropping off aliens all over town at shopping centers. The Tucson Sector is avg 12,000 apprehensions a week, and that is just the give ups. There are no agents in the field, so all aliens not giving up (the bad ones) are just freely walking north because there are no agents working in the field! The trail cameras across the state are going off non stop with groups, and no agents are allowed to respond. It’s gone! we lost!”
I occasionally receive reports from a friend who works at the border. At 8:45 pm this evening, I received a series of texts from him with permission to post:
It's out of control down here! the Border Patrol agents were told to cease all law enforcement operations, no arrests… pic.twitter.com/rEyUd390o1
Representative Nguyen followed up with another post on Friday – this one about what the illegal aliens were leaving behind as they made their way into the United States. He said, “Another text from the border today: ‘Trash left behind by the aliens sneaking into this country… OVER 50+ miles north of the border on Arizona State Trust land. Every wash out here is littered with trash.”
Another text from the border today (10:31 AM):
“Trash left behind by the aliens sneaking into this country… OVER 50+ miles north of the border on Arizona State Trust land. Every wash out here is littered with trash!” pic.twitter.com/F9AaYatJC5
The Border Patrol Union also recently opined on the border cartels’ prowess at the border, saying, “Criminal cartels are making billions dumping illegal aliens at places of their choosing along the border & tying up overwhelmed BP resources with ‘asylum’ claims while moving fentanyl and whatever else they want in other places. They own this border. Biden is their best buddy.”
Criminal cartels are making billions dumping illegal aliens at places of their choosing along the border & tying up overwhelmed BP resources with "asylum" claims while moving fentanyl and whatever else they want in other places. They own this border.
Fentanyl drug seizures have largely increased by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in Fiscal Year 2023, with over 25,000 pounds apprehended in the past 11 months – approximately the combined numbers for fiscal years 2021 and 2022 of encountered fentanyl. According to a December 22 article in the Washington Post, “federal agents estimate that they are seizing about 5 to 10 percent of the drugs coming from Mexico – if that much.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Another FBI watchlist terrorist was apprehended crossing the border, this time one day after Title 42 ended.
The terrorist came from Pakistan and was apprehended in Ajo, according to information provided by unnamed federal sources to The Washington Examiner. The terrorist was captured within a wave of around 700 illegal immigrants crossing in the area.
There has been a significant increase in terror watchlist apprehensions under Biden. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) disclosed on Wednesday that they’d apprehended 16 terrorists along the border in April alone — more than the total apprehensions from the 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 fiscal years combined.
NEW: CBP reports 16 people on the FBI’s terror watchlist were arrested by Border Patrol at the Southern border in April alone. That single month is more than all four years of FY17, FY18, FY19, and FY20 – combined (11).
According to data from December, terror watchlist arrests have increased over sixfold since Biden took office.
So far this fiscal year, there have been over 1.4 million southern border encounters. That’s nearly 134,000 more encounters than from the same time span from the last fiscal year (October 2021 through April 2022).
That brings the total border encounters under President Joe Biden to over 5.6 million.
The average of these encounters totals over 201,000. If that average sustains through the remaining 21 months of Biden’s first term, there may be over 9.8 million illegal immigrant encounters by the end of next year.
Under former President Donald Trump, there were a total of over 2.3 million encounters. There may be four times as many illegal crossings by the end of Biden’s first term.
Despite the continued onslaught of the border crisis, Arizona’s Democratic leaders have been hesitant to fully back proposed remedies.
Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) last week supported the termination of Title 42, but criticized the Biden administration’s lack of action on meaningful immigration reform and infrastructure.
“While the specific needs and requests of each border community varied, one similarity was clear: the administration has not done enough to meet their needs, and these local officials require additional resources, personnel, and funds to ensure our border stays secure and that the processing of asylum seekers is done in a humanitarian way,” stated Gallego.
That same day, Gallego issued another statement dismissing his Republican colleagues’ border proposals as an unserious “sham” perpetuating “cruel” Trump-era policies. The proposals included detainment of unaccompanied children, and restricting asylum outside of legal ports of entry.
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-07) complained last August that too many Americans were caught up in the border crisis to notice the religious disrespect of illegal immigrants. Specifically, Grijalva complained that border agents were confiscating illegal Sikh immigrants’ religious items, such as their turbans and bracelets.
“All these festering issues get overwritten because everybody starts screaming about the border and the invasion, and so these go into the background,” said Grijalva. “I don’t think they’re background issues. Border Patrol is the largest law enforcement agency with the least amount of accountability in the country. And that’s the problem.”
Democratic congressional candidate Kirsten Engel supported ending Title 42 last year as part of her prior, failed campaign, and denied the existence of the border crisis.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
